English class in Bettendorf tackles environmental issues

During one of her class periods in April, for example, while 10 of her students researched the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, a separate group of students pieced together wooden garden boxes they later filled with drought-resistant plants.

The fourth-year teacher is helping lay the groundwork for project-based learning at the middle school, where students and faculty are set on tackling environmental issues.

In recognition of her students' "tiny home" project, Armstrong received the John Finnessy Innovation in Education Award and $500 from the Bettendorf Community Schools Foundation.

Chad Uhde, an instructional coach at Bettendorf Middle School who assists students with the actual hammer-and-nail construction, is a fan of Armstrong's hands-on ideas.

Project-based learning, which several districts across the country are implementing in their schools, is becoming more than just a trend, according to specialists with the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency.

[...] when teachers engage students in subjects they're not only passionate about, but are realistic, thought-provoking problems, teachers said they notice tangible improvements in schoolwork.